Illiberalism in the Western Balkans?

Recent political developments in the Western Balkans have led the EU to re-focus its attention on the region. Countries in southeastern Europe have been struggling to embrace and implement reforms that would steer them along the path towards EU accession.

The recent rise in political tensions in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), Albania and Serbia clearly illustrates the worrying trends in the region, including poisonous nationalist rhetoric, widespread corruption and the drift towards the centralisation of power. This was showcased by Skopje’s failure to form a government for four months after the elections held in December 2016 and increasing signs of discontent in a politically divided society.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: Europe needs to ‘do more’ in the Western Balkans but what does that mean for security? (ELN: Article, June 2017) http://www.europeansources.info/record/europe-needs-to-do-more-in-the-western-balkans-but-what-does-that-mean-for-security/

ESO: Background information: The Western Balkans in the European Union: Enlargement to What, Accession to What? (IAI: Documenti IAI No.12, 2017) http://www.europeansources.info/record/the-western-balkans-in-the-european-union-enlargement-to-what-accession-to-what/

ESO: Background information: West is best: How ‘stabilitocracy’ undermines democracy building in the Balkans (EuroppBlog, May 2017) http://www.europeansources.info/record/west-is-best-how-stabilitocracy-undermines-democracy-building-in-the-balkans/

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